Olympus E-1 vs Sony HX20V

Here is a thorough assessment of the Olympus E-1 and Sony HX20V, former being a Pro DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and HX20V (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-1 was manufactured 9 years before the HX20V and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Sony HX20V being a Compact camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-1 grades vs the HX20V when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Sony HX20V Gallery.

If you're planning to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-1 has got physical measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Sony HX20V has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-1 and Sony HX20V in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select at the time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-1 compared to the HX20V.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and HX20V is 59 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizing purely by looking at technical specs. The photograph here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and HX20V.

As you have seen, both the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-1 due to its larger sensor will make getting bokeh less difficult and the Sony HX20V will give you greater detail due to its extra 13MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics far more aggressively. The older E-1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.